One type of radio frequency (RF) connector in widespread use employs a push-pull coupling for insertion and removal of the associated RF cable. Such couplings may be used, for example, in telecommunications environments, such as to provide a plug for connecting an RF coaxial cable to a jack associated with a printed circuit board or other component. One such cable is the Series 1.0/2.3 RF connector used in many computer network environments.
An RF or other cable in which a push-pull coupling is used typically is connected by mating a plug assembly attached to the end of the cable to the jack to which the cable is to be connected by sliding the plug over the jack (or into the jack, as applicable) until the plug assembly is seated over (or in) the jack. In one typical configuration, the plug assembly comprises a body having a barrel portion into which the jack is received; a cam assembly inside the barrel portion of the plug body comprising one or more spring loaded cams which extend into a detent in the jack when the jack is inserted fully into the plug assembly, thereby locking the plug assembly onto to the jack such that one may pull on the associated cable with a degree of force and not decouple the cable and associated plug assembly from the jack; and a spring loaded movable collar on the outside of the barrel portion, configured to slide along the barrel in response to external force, typically in the direction away from the end of the cable to which the plug assembly is attached, and connected in relation to the cam assembly such that the cable may be disconnected by sliding the spring loaded movable collar on the outside of the plug body to a position which causes the one or more cams on the interior of the plug body to be retracted (such as by spring force), thereby making it possible to decouple the cable plug assembly from the jack by pulling on the cable and/or plug assembly with moderate force. The movable collar is sometimes referred to herein as the “release ring”.
A problem arises when a large number of cables having push-pull coupling type release mechanisms must be connected in very close proximity to one another, such as in high density computer network applications, for example, to connect a large number of signal lines to a high density network switch. One difficulty that can arise in such contexts is that it may not always be possible for a user to grasp the movable cylinder on the outside of the plug body and manipulate it as necessary to disengage the one or more cams from the corresponding detent(s) on the jack, as would be required to disconnect the cable. If the plug assemblies for adjacent cables are too close to the cable to be removed, there may not be enough space to grab hold of the movable cylinder portion of the plug assembly for the cable to be removed.
Special tools have been provided to assist in the removal of cables connected via a push-pull coupling where it may not be possible to grasp the release mechanism with one's fingers, but providing such a tool is not always a convenient or practical solution, as a tool may be lost or unavailable when needed for some other reason. Also, a sufficient number of tools may not be available if it were necessary to remove multiple cables in the same work area at about the same time. In addition, the time required to locate the tool, place it into position to release a cable, release the cable, and then return the tool to its place make using such a tool less efficient than providing a release mechanism integral to each cable/plug assembly that does not suffer from the disadvantages described above. However, in order to be economically viable, such an integral release mechanism integral to each cable/plug assembly cannot cost too much per unit.
Therefore, there is a need for a reasonably low cost RF connector release mechanism suitable for use where a number of RF cables may need to be connected in close proximity to one another.